THE LATEST

Year endings and beginnings usually mean one thing: the obligatory retrospective article. But this post is less a recap of events past and more a celebration of the causes our employees choose to support. 26 of them, to be exact.

Ad Fed MN “Agency DNA” explores the evolution of different agencies, their biggest challenges in terms of talent acquisition/retention, and what advice their leadership would offer to other agency owners who are dealing with tough issues like high turnover or low engagement. This month’s interview features Chris Schermer sharing his views on managing values, people, culture and work […]

The traditional concept of the sales funnel is dead. Today’s business buyer is 24/7, gathering 70% of their information online before they raise their hand to a salesperson or dealer. That buyer is also part of a team; up to 17 people are involved in B2B purchases of over $500K. If you’re not prepared with […]

In the past several years, Schermer has been fortunate to work with clients like Teradata, Stratasys, H.B. Fuller, Software AG, Daikin, General Mills and others to make the shift from product-focused to purpose-driven brands. Purpose-driven brands focus on their “why” – why they exist and what they do for customers, rather than simply what the product does. In the B2B space, a product is typically just one part of a total solution delivered through multiple touchpoints.

When we sit down with clients to talk strategy, the discussion soon turns to budgets. Our clients ask one question fairly consistently: “What are other companies spending on their B2B marketing programs?”

From a client’s perspective, working with an agency can be downright exciting. It’s fun (and challenging) to see your brand and your offerings through an outsider’s lens. Sometimes, in ways you’ve never imagined. However, evaluating creative can be challenging when you factor in the range of perspectives a review team brings to the table.

Most people tend to view “branding” as an external marketing campaign or identity exercise: new ads, new packaging, new logo, new tagline. Any suggestion of a brand refresh implies rebuilding websites, updating software, even changing signs and repainting trucks. No wonder CEOs are loathe to fund these expensive initiatives!

To be a real leader and create true preference for a B2B brand, companies must develop and display qualities of leadership that others can’t – or won’t – match. Leaders don’t just sell the best products, they dedicate themselves to helping the entire market advance, as well as ensuring their customers succeed. Which means giving.

If you work in the B2B realm, you’ve probably heard of theBusiness Marketing Association(BMA), and the organization’s annual B2 Awards. To quote the site, these awards “recognize the people who, knowing the difference, refuse to take the easy way out.” From print to digital and every medium in-between, the B2 Awards represent the best and brightest B2B work, submitted by the best and brightest brands and agencies in the nation.

Following a two-year stint as a Business Marketing Association (BMA) board member, our head honcho was elevated by his peers to the VP of Marketing position on the executive committee – a two-year role that will include developing new web, social, brand and content strategies to engage B2B marketers across the country.